The E team

A 29-year veteran of urban education has been appointed superintendent of instruction for the Partnership for L.A. Schools, and will officially bring her team to take over six Los Angeles Unified School District campuses including Gompers and Markham middle schools beginning July 1.

Angela Bass, who was formerly executive director of the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence in the San Diego Unified School District is credited with helping the state's second largest district improve math scores and with increasing the number of students at proficient and advanced levels by about eight percent each year since 2003.

The Partnership for L.A. Schools is Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's program to help turn around "failing" LAUSD schools. In exchange for control of the six campuses, the Partnership must demonstrate measurable improvements and increased accountability.

"Angela has a stellar reputation as an educational leader and we welcome her to the LAUSD Partnership and look forward to working with her and the rest of the mayor's team," said LAUSD Superintendent David L. Brewer III.

Bass said at a news conference Monday at Gompers that she hopes to implement programs that will have a similar impact on L.A. students. She added that success will be measured not only by test scores but by parental involvement, attendance and dropout rates, the appearance and safety of schools and the development and retention of teachers.

The new superintendent, who graduated from West Los Angeles College before going on to San Francisco State Unviersity, brings with her seven years as an elementary school teachers, six years as a elementary school principal and more than five years in upper level administrative positions within the San Diego Unified.

In addition to Bass, the Partnership team includes Marshall Tuck as chief executive officer; Mark Kleger-Heine as chief operation officer; Staci Monreal as the Family of Schools leader; Raquel Nunez as the Instructional Support Manager; and Erica Balakian as school support services manager.

The Partnership and the LAUSD are still negotiating a contract that will pave the way for the change over, however in the mean time, a number of pre-take over foundations are being laid.

These include creating transition teams at each school to build infrastructure and management systems. These teams are comprised of teachers, administrators, classified staff, students, parents and community members.

School Data Profiles of each school are being compiled. These will contain detailed statistics on tests scores, achievement gap data, attendance rates and much more.

Student Achievement Plans are also being created, and they will feature detailed descriptions of how each school will achieve its goals. And finally surveys are being conducted at each school to determine immediate needs and short-term priorities.